


snow globes

by radiodurans



Category: Harry Styles (Musician)
Genre: 2016 era, Christmas, M/M, One Shot, Pining (sort-of)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:14:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 720
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28276680
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/radiodurans/pseuds/radiodurans
Summary: Nick buys Harry a snow globe for Christmas.
Relationships: Harry Styles/Nick Grimshaw
Comments: 4
Kudos: 14





	snow globes

**Author's Note:**

> For a friend :) This might be (probably will be lmao) part of a series of Christmas 2016 Gryles one-shots. Sorry that this one isn’t smutty but I do have a smutty one, sort of, maybe in the works & if you ask nicely,,,,, perhaps I will unearth it.

It’s been a full year since Nick’s been to Holmes Chapel and yet everything feels exactly the same. He’s the naughty sort of early, an over-eagerness unlike him except for when it’s Harry-inspired. Later, if he lets on the exact time he arrived, Harry will take the mick – _Did you miss me, then?_ Nick will only be able to smile through teeth, ribbing back with unequal bite, because, after all, Harry has arrived on time. Actions over words.

The scarf he packed is cosy for the trip, a tacky kind of wool that clings to the stubble on his cheeks and neck. Its cosiness inspires sweat whenever the sun agrees to peek out from behind the clouds. He’s going to get a rash from global warming, and from waiting, and from the natural disaster that is Harry Styles coming home on time to see his own family. Nick checks his phone; it hasn’t updated since Harry’s text fifteen minutes ago – _Just landed in Manchester !_ Another half hour and change until Nick can saunter onto his doorstep, pretending he hasn’t been waiting around for Harry to return from Los Angeles. Lately it seems like Nick is always waiting around for Harry to return from Los Angeles. He should date more in London, probably.

Nick wanders into a shop with tinsel hung over the door so he can unwrap the scarf from around his face. The bell jangles when he pushes inside which feels like a curse. He’s no A-lister like Harry, but drawing attention to himself in public _does_ mean at least one person in here may photograph him anyway when he’s not looking. Well – if he ends up in the Daily Mail as ‘Nick Grimshaw in Holmes Chapel for Christmas, says Harry, “We’re just friends”’ then he hopes whoever it is at least gets paid fairly for the story. He pastes on a smile so the story doesn’t become, “Nick Grimshaw looking sad in Holmes Chapel” because, well, neither of them needs media speculation about _that_.

To avoid all of it, he makes a beeline to the back of the store. There’s a large, beautiful snow globe collection that suddenly makes his chosen gift – a plain, cosy sweater – look inadequate on its own. Harry loves Christmas and kitsch and, especially, Christmas kitsch. Nick drops his heavy duffel bag so that he can grab the globes with a more steady hand. He pulls a large one off the shelf that seems to have a forest inside it. It’s not until he’s got it off the shelf that he sees there’s an inscription on the side.

_Merry Christmas, love._

Nick’s cheeks grow hotter as he realizes there’s a tiny wedding buried among the trees.

“Christ,” he murmurs, putting it back. “Very heterosexual, that.”

He strolls a foot away from that part of the shelf and inspects a pool of less ornate snow globes. After some consideration, he picks one that has two genderless figures building a snowman. Inscribed on the side – ‘A friendship is a wonderful thing.’ Bit cheesy, but it’s Christmas. There’s cheese to spare this time of year.

_Whistle!_

Nick tucks the snow globe precariously under his arm as he reaches for his phone. Home screen: _I’m here! – H_

He rests the snow globe on top of his duffle bag so he can unlock the phone and type more easily.

_I’ll come round about 15 min. Running a bit late, sorry :/_

Very convincing lie if he does say so himself. The sideways face really is the art of it.

_It’s alright. Excited <3 – H_

Nick sighs, picks up his things again, and pockets his phone. He heads over to the register, half-covering his face with his scarf so the young cashier is less likely to go – _hey, are you –?_ There’s a few people in front of him in line, to add to the plausible deniability of his lateness.

“This is so nice,” she says cheerily when it’s his turn to ring up. Success – he’s just any old person in her eyes. “You must have a very special friend.”

Nick sighs.

“Yes. He’s lovely,” he says. “Would you wrap that?”

Wrapped present in tow, he heads off to Anne’s house for his incredibly platonic Christmas Eve celebration with her and Gemma and Harry and. . .no one else.

 _Very special friend_ indeed.


End file.
